E. coli is a species of bacteria that live in the
intestines of people and animals. Some E. coli
are harmless, but other strains can cause kidney failure or
death.

A trip down the zipline ended in misery and vomit for more than
500 people who visited Gatlinburg, Tennessee this summer.

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The Tennessee Department of Health found E. coli bacteria present
in the water at CLIMB Works ziplining tours in the Great Smoky
Mountains, as
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported.

At least 548 sick people have said they ziplined at CLIMB
Works between mid-June and early July. The tree-topping tours
include water stops, and the coolers are filled with well water,
according to the
Atlanta Journal Constitution. That's likely where the
contamination came from.

Emily Oney, who vacationed in the area with her family,
wrote on
Facebook that she visited the zipline with a group of seven
other people on June 31. By the following afternoon, six of them
were "throwing up and terribly sick," she said.

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"Upon further investigation, I found a review online from
Sunday where more families were claiming to be sick from the
contaminated coolers of water on the course," Oney said. "Do not
drink the water here."

CLIMB Works, which bills itself as the top-rated zipline
tour in Tennessee, responded to Oney saying the company feels
"awful" if it had "any part in anyone getting sick."

"We worry something might have contaminated the water
during the dates of your visit," the company wrote.

It turned out to be a dangerous strain of a common
bacteria.

What is E. coli?

E. coli has a bad reputation as an illness-causing bacteria, but
you probably have some good E. coli inside your body right now.

Escherichia coli is a broad term for a species of diverse
bacteria. Certain strains of E. coli colonize our guts almost
immediately after birth and stick to the mucus of our intestines,
keeping our intestinal tract humming along smoothly.

Some of the most common signs of infection with the bad
type of E. coli include bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, and
vomiting. It can take 10 days for symptoms of E. coli to show up,
and an additional two to three weeks for the illness to be
reported to health officials.

"People have gotten infected by swallowing lake water while
swimming, touching the environment in petting zoos and other
animal exhibits, and by eating food prepared by people who did
not wash their hands well after using the toilet,"
according
to the CDC.

Because E. coli contamination comes from little bits of
poo, any person or animal along the path that food or water take
from a field or well to your mouth can easily contaminate
produce, meat, or water.

Most people can survive E. coli poisoning - the miserable
symptoms usually last five to seven days. There's not much you
can do to treat the illness, though, except to stay well hydrated
until it's over.

Pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people
with compromised immune systems need to be extra careful about
steering clear of E. coli-contaminated food and water. The
infection's more severe complications can include kidney failure,
which happens in about 5% to 10% of cases and usually affects
people under the age of 5 and over 60, according to the
Merck Manual.

The best way to kill E. coli is to boil it.
The
CDC recommends bringing water to a rolling boil for a minute
(or if you're at elevations above 6,500 feet, three minutes),
then cool and store the liquid in a clean, sanitized container
with a tight cover and keep it refrigerated. There is no filter
that's certified to work for all E. coli strains.